Two gunmen lurked nearby before Lauderhill killing

LAUDERHILL — Two gunmen apparently waited for 27-year-old Conrad Luke to exit a club at a strip mall last month before he was shot and killed, police say.

One gunman repeatedly fired at Luke at point-blank range, and as Luke ran away, the gunman kept firing. A second gunman also opened fire, but it was unclear whether he shot Luke.

Those were among the new details released Thursday by Lauderhill police, who also released surveillance video in the unsolved slaying. The footage shows the gunmen during the June 27 shooting at the mall in the 1600 block of North State Road 7.

It also shows two "persons of interest," a man and woman seen talking to one shooter moments before. Police are further discussing the case, hoping the public will step forward with information.

"I'm sure if it was one of your loved ones, you would definitely want someone to come forward," said Lauderhill police spokeswoman Capt. Constance Stanley.

According to Luke's family, he showed great promise as a child, doing well academically and taking an interest in music. He played the piano and sang.

As an adult, he got into trouble with the law: He served prison time for a burglary and robbery case, records show. Released in March, he was living with his mother, relatives said. He was remorseful and wanted to start anew, they said.

"He was a kind-hearted person who made us laugh so much at home," said his grandmother, Lydia Haynes, 79, of Fort Lauderdale.

Two nights before his killing, Luke phoned his grandmother and told her he loved her, Haynes said. "I said, 'I love you too.' And we never had the opportunity to say another word to each other."

He was shot about 11:23 p.m. at the strip mall. Surveillance video apparently shows the gunmen waiting for Luke to exit a club, "and there was not any argument or altercation prior to the shooting," Stanley said.

The shooters seemed calm before the killing. They were surrounded by several bystanders, with a number of businesses open during the shooting.

Someone dialed 911 after the shooting. "I was walking by and I seen him on the ground," the caller told a 911 dispatcher. "The man's been shot."

The caller later is heard praying during the 911 call. Witnesses ran away before officers arrived, Stanley said. Luke was pronounced dead at the scene.